Road Cycling“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

View Poll Results: Which tools have you ACTUALLY needed for roadside repairs?

If you brake a gear cable or if something buggers up your rear der you can tighten the limit screws and fix the der in a single gear (as in a gear of your choice) to get home.

The tool is usually part of a multi-tool so you most likely have it anyway.

I can't believe that some people ride without a spare tube. Patching by the side of the road sucks. Swap in the spare tube and patch at home at your leisure.

What about flame thrower attacks?

Listen, lots of sh*t could go wrong, but if you look at this as a game of odds, the gambler in me-- and I'm a chalk player-- is getting down on the odds that neither I, nor anyone else, is gonna break a cable or bugger a mech in such a way that the limit screws are gonna make a wit of difference.

That said, I see no reason for any rec rider to head out without a Ritchey CPR9 (or some lesser, heavier, bulkier tool as their sensibility allows) as a prophylactic measure. They're cheap and light and easy to carry. Start adding in chain breakers, crank pullers, and fire retardant Nomex suits, and the situation changes drastically.

Listen, lots of sh*t could go wrong, but if you look at this as a game of odds, the gambler in me-- and I'm a chalk player-- is getting down on the odds that neither I, nor anyone else, is gonna break a cable or bugger a mech in such a way that the limit screws are gonna make a wit of difference.

That said, I see no reason for any rec rider to head out without a Ritchey CPR9 (or some lesser, heavier, bulkier tool as their sensibility allows) as a prophylactic measure. They're cheap and light and easy to carry. Start adding in chain breakers, crank pullers, and fire retardant Nomex suits, and the situation changes drastically.

You must not ride much.

I have had spokes snap and get tangled in a rr der bending the hanger. I have had twigs jump up and do the same thing. I have crashed and messed up the rr der. I have had a link on a chain get bent and pull the rr der around causing a problem.

I've had spokes break, chains break, deraileurs get knocked out of alignment, handlebars get bent around in a crash, and even had a left crank pop off. I've been able to address pretty much all these problems with my Crank Bros multi tool.

it's very simple. bring stuff for fixing a flat and bring a multitool, making sure it is the type that has a chain tool.

easy.

nuff said.

no one is saying bring an independent chain tool.

__________________coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack

Listen, lots of sh*t could go wrong, but if you look at this as a game of odds, the gambler in me-- and I'm a chalk player-- is getting down on the odds that neither I, nor anyone else, is gonna break a cable or bugger a mech in such a way that the limit screws are gonna make a wit of difference.

That said, I see no reason for any rec rider to head out without a Ritchey CPR9 (or some lesser, heavier, bulkier tool as their sensibility allows) as a prophylactic measure. They're cheap and light and easy to carry. Start adding in chain breakers, crank pullers, and fire retardant Nomex suits, and the situation changes drastically.

Lezyne 10 multi tool. 102 grams. $32 bucks. Fits in the smallest bag, and will take care of most everything, short of the flame thrower.

Adding a chain tool to a mini tool takes up almost no additonal space,only adds 20 grams or so , and doubles a beer bottle opener.

__________________You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.

20 grams is practically the entire mass of the Ritchey CPR 9 which has every tool you're actually likely to ever need, including the bottle opener, at 25 grams.

Some of those ends look like they would not be useable in many pracitical situations. (for example the extension on the 2mm appears to be about 2mm.

Also looks like a tube ripper in a saddle bag.

But even assumming that the Ritchey is going to work well, the cost for adding a chain tool is 77 grams. (79 grams if you carry a quick link also) Pretty cheap easy insurance against hobby horsing home.

__________________You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.

what the hell is a bottle opener doing on a multitool? i have never wanted to open a glass bottle on a ride.

__________________coasting, few quotes are worthy of him, and of those, even fewer printable in a family forum......quote 3alarmer
No @coasting, you should stay 100% as you are right now, don't change a thing....quote Heathpack

Some of those ends look like they would not be useable in many pracitical situations. (for example the extension on the 2mm appears to be about 2mm.

Also looks like a tube ripper in a saddle bag.

But even assumming that the Ritchey is going to work well, the cost for adding a chain tool is 77 grams. (79 grams if you carry a quick link also) Pretty cheap easy insurance against hobby horsing home.

Tool works great; never have had a need it couldn't meet.

It is pointy, and it is probably a good idea to make an effort to keep it from abrading tube.

Agreed; it's a tiny amount of extra weight and bulk, and nothing to worry over one way or the other. As I said earlier, there's no reason not to carry some kind of multitool, whether you're a weight weenie or carefree hoarder.

Getting all weight weenie over a multi tool is hilarious... the smallest multi tool I carry is a Filzer E2 with an integrated chain tool and it weighs 145 grams and cost 12.00. It packs small and usually rides in a small seat bag with a CO2 inflator, a spare tube, and tyre levers.

Depending on the bike I am using I might have to carry a 15mm or small adjustable wrench for wheel nuts and have several other multi tools of varying size and versatility.

I also have an Alien II which is the swiss army knife of multi tools... you can fix almost anything with this but I use this for touring, commuting, and remote work.

Most often these tools come in handy to help other cyclists who are having issues as I rarely have any mechanical issues of my own.

I've only ever used a tube and a CO2 cartridge/pump. I do carry a quick link, multi-tool that handles chains and patches, but that stuff is mainly for situations where I might run into female cyclist in distress...

Getting all weight weenie over a multi tool is hilarious... the smallest multi tool I carry is a Filzer E2 with an integrated chain tool and it weighs 145 grams and cost 12.00. It packs small and usually rides in a small seat bag with a CO2 inflator, a spare tube, and tyre levers.

Depending on the bike I am using I might have to carry a 15mm or small adjustable wrench for wheel nuts and have several other multi tools of varying size and versatility.

I also have an Alien II which is the swiss army knife of multi tools... you can fix almost anything with this but I use this for touring, commuting, and remote work.

Most often these tools come in handy to help other cyclists who are having issues as [bold]I rarely have any mechanical issues of my own.[/bold]

Right (referring to the bolded comment)...it's not being weight weenie, it's being pragmatic.